diff --git a/src/lib/elements/element_data_store.svelte b/src/lib/elements/element_data_store.svelte
index 38724cd1..1a085036 100644
--- a/src/lib/elements/element_data_store.svelte
+++ b/src/lib/elements/element_data_store.svelte
@@ -72,8 +72,28 @@ let {
 // Local reactive state
 let trigger: null | string = $state(null);
 let draft_value = $state('');
+let draft_name = $state('');
+let draft_code = $state('');
+let draft_type = $state('');
+let draft_use_account_id = $state(false);
 let html_edit_mode = $state<'source' | 'visual'>('source');
 
+// Change detection derived from draft vs current LiveQuery object
+let has_changes = $derived.by(() => {
+    const entry = $lq__ds_obj as ae_DataStore | null;
+    if (!entry) return true; // Treat new record as having changes
+
+    const current_val = entry.type === 'json' 
+        ? (typeof entry.json === 'string' ? entry.json : JSON.stringify(entry.json, null, 2))
+        : (entry.text || entry.html || '');
+    
+    return draft_value !== current_val || 
+           draft_name !== (entry.name || '') || 
+           draft_code !== (entry.code || '') || 
+           draft_type !== (entry.type || 'text') ||
+           draft_use_account_id !== (!!entry.account_id);
+});
+
 // Dexie LiveQuery for data store
 let lq__ds_obj = $derived(
     liveQuery(async () => {
@@ -110,6 +130,23 @@ let lq__ds_obj = $derived(
     })
 );
 
+/**
+ * reset_drafts: Resets all draft fields to the current object's values.
+ * Called when the live data changes OR when the editor is closed/cancelled.
+ */
+function reset_drafts() {
+    const entry = $lq__ds_obj as ae_DataStore | null;
+    if (!entry) return;
+    
+    draft_name = entry.name || '';
+    draft_code = entry.code || '';
+    draft_type = entry.type || 'text';
+    draft_use_account_id = !!entry.account_id;
+    draft_value = entry.type === 'json' 
+        ? (typeof entry.json === 'string' ? entry.json : JSON.stringify(entry.json, null, 2))
+        : (entry.text || entry.html || '');
+}
+
 // Sync status and bound props when the live data changes
 $effect(() => {
     const entry = $lq__ds_obj as ae_DataStore | null;
@@ -120,16 +157,30 @@ $effect(() => {
             if (ds_type === 'sql') {
                 val_sql = entry.text || entry.html || null;
             }
-            // Initialize draft_value when not editing
+            // Initialize draft values when not editing
             if (!show_edit) {
-                draft_value = entry.type === 'json' 
-                    ? (typeof entry.json === 'string' ? entry.json : JSON.stringify(entry.json, null, 2))
-                    : (entry.text || entry.html || '');
+                reset_drafts();
             }
         }
     });
 });
 
+// Reset draft values when the editor is closed (discard changes)
+$effect(() => {
+    if (!show_edit) {
+        untrack(() => reset_drafts());
+    }
+});
+
+// Reset submit status when opening the editor
+$effect(() => {
+    if (show_edit) {
+        untrack(() => {
+            $ae_sess.ds.submit_status = 'idle';
+        });
+    }
+});
+
 // Context Change Guard
 $effect(() => {
     void for_id; void for_type; void ds_code;
@@ -204,25 +255,16 @@ async function load_data_store() {
 }
 
 async function handle_submit_form(event: Event) {
-    const target = event.target as HTMLFormElement;
     $ae_sess.ds.submit_status = 'processing';
 
-    const form_data = new FormData(target);
-    const data_store_di = ae_util.extract_prefixed_form_data({
-        prefix: null,
-        form_data,
-        trim_values: true,
-        bool_tf_str: true
-    });
-
     const data_store_do: key_val = {
-        code: data_store_di.ds_code ?? ds_code,
-        name: data_store_di.ds_name ?? ds_name,
-        type: data_store_di.ds_type ?? ds_type,
-        for_type: data_store_di.ds_for_type ?? null,
-        for_id: data_store_di.ds_for_id ?? null,
-        enable: data_store_di.ds_enable ?? true,
-        account_id: data_store_di.ds_use_account_id ? (data_store_di.ds_account_id ?? $slct.account_id) : null
+        code: draft_code,
+        name: draft_name,
+        type: draft_type,
+        for_type: for_type,
+        for_id: for_id,
+        enable: true,
+        account_id: draft_use_account_id ? ($ae_loc.account_id || $slct.account_id) : null
     };
 
     if (data_store_do.type === 'json') {
@@ -260,6 +302,12 @@ async function handle_delete() {
         show_edit = false;
     }
 }
+
+function handle_cancel() {
+    if (has_changes && !confirm('Discard unsaved changes?')) return;
+    show_edit = false;
+    // reset_drafts() will be called by the $effect watching show_edit
+}
 </script>
 
 <div
@@ -277,9 +325,10 @@ async function handle_delete() {
         {/if}
 
         <Modal
-            title="{$lq__ds_obj.name || 'Unnamed'} - {$lq__ds_obj.code}"
+            title="{draft_name || 'Unnamed'} - {draft_code}"
             bind:open={show_edit}
             autoclose={false}
+            outsideclose={!has_changes}
             size="xl"
             class="w-full max-w-6xl">
             <form class="flex flex-col gap-4" onsubmit={(e) => { e.preventDefault(); handle_submit_form(e); }}>
@@ -287,17 +336,17 @@ async function handle_delete() {
                     <div class="space-y-2">
                         <label class="label">
                             <span class="text-xs font-bold opacity-70">Code</span>
-                            <input type="text" name="ds_code" class="input font-mono" value={$lq__ds_obj.code} readonly={!$ae_loc.manager_access} required />
+                            <input type="text" name="ds_code" class="input font-mono" bind:value={draft_code} readonly={!$ae_loc.manager_access} required />
                         </label>
                         <label class="label">
                             <span class="text-xs font-bold opacity-70">Name</span>
-                            <input type="text" name="ds_name" class="input" value={$lq__ds_obj.name} required />
+                            <input type="text" name="ds_name" class="input" bind:value={draft_name} required />
                         </label>
                     </div>
                     <div class="space-y-2">
                         <label class="label">
                             <span class="text-xs font-bold opacity-70">Type</span>
-                            <select name="ds_type" class="select" bind:value={$lq__ds_obj.type}>
+                            <select name="ds_type" class="select" bind:value={draft_type}>
                                 <option value="text">Text</option>
                                 <option value="html">HTML</option>
                                 <option value="json">JSON</option>
@@ -306,7 +355,7 @@ async function handle_delete() {
                             </select>
                         </label>
                         <div class="flex items-center gap-2 pt-6">
-                            <input type="checkbox" name="ds_use_account_id" id="ds_use_account_id" class="checkbox" checked={!!$lq__ds_obj.account_id} />
+                            <input type="checkbox" name="ds_use_account_id" id="ds_use_account_id" class="checkbox" bind:checked={draft_use_account_id} />
                             <label for="ds_use_account_id" class="text-xs cursor-pointer">Account Specific</label>
                         </div>
                     </div>
@@ -315,7 +364,7 @@ async function handle_delete() {
                 <div class="space-y-2">
                     <div class="flex items-center justify-between">
                         <span class="text-xs font-bold opacity-70">Content</span>
-                        {#if $lq__ds_obj.type === 'html'}
+                        {#if draft_type === 'html'}
                             <div class="flex items-center gap-1 rounded bg-black/5 p-0.5">
                                 <button
                                     type="button"
@@ -341,14 +390,14 @@ async function handle_delete() {
                         {/if}
                     </div>
 
-                    {#if $lq__ds_obj.type === 'html'}
+                    {#if draft_type === 'html'}
                         {#if html_edit_mode === 'source'}
                             <AE_Comp_Editor_CodeMirror bind:content={draft_value} placeholder="Enter HTML Source..." />
                         {:else}
                             <AE_Comp_Editor_TipTap bind:content={draft_value} placeholder="Enter HTML content..." />
                         {/if}
-                    {:else if $lq__ds_obj.type === 'json' || $lq__ds_obj.type === 'sql' || $lq__ds_obj.type === 'md'}
-                        <AE_Comp_Editor_CodeMirror bind:content={draft_value} placeholder="Enter {$lq__ds_obj.type.toUpperCase()} content..." />
+                    {:else if draft_type === 'json' || draft_type === 'sql' || draft_type === 'md'}
+                        <AE_Comp_Editor_CodeMirror bind:content={draft_value} placeholder="Enter {draft_type.toUpperCase()} content..." />
                     {:else}
                         <textarea bind:value={draft_value} class="textarea font-mono text-sm" rows="15" placeholder="Enter text content..."></textarea>
                     {/if}
@@ -366,13 +415,14 @@ async function handle_delete() {
                         <button
                             type="button"
                             class="btn preset-tonal-surface"
-                            onclick={() => (show_edit = false)}
+                            onclick={handle_cancel}
                             title="Discard changes and close">
                             <X size="14" class="mr-2" /> Cancel
                         </button>
                         <button
                             type="submit"
                             class="btn preset-filled-primary-500"
+                            disabled={!has_changes || $ae_sess.ds.submit_status === 'processing'}
                             title="Save changes to this data store">
                             {#if $ae_sess.ds.submit_status === 'processing'}
                                 <LoaderCircle size="14" class="mr-2 animate-spin" />